Fallout Lawndale
by Lord Vukodlak
Summary: The cast of Daria as they might have been in the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout. Remember to review or I'll forget to upload the next chapter.
1. Chapter 1

_War. War never changes. _

_Humans are stupid creatures for countless millennia humans waged in ever more destructive means of conflict. It finally reached its peak in 2077 when the world was plunged into an abyss of nuclear fire. No body knows who struck first but it doesn't matter every body lost. In the two centuries that followed humanity fell into darkness what was left of it anyway. In a suburb of Baltimore called Lawndale a community of survivors makes its way in the wasteland of the new world created more then two centuries ago._

Daria struggled to pry open the rusted hood of the old semi-truck. She'd been struggling in vain for the past ten minutes to open the hood but so far it hadn't budged. She'd ask Jane for help opening but she was busy watching the horizon for trouble. Right now she regretting turning down Tom when he offered to help that morning. She liked him well enough but lately whenever they hung around her mother was always butting in with snacks or meaningless interruptions.

Helen was convinced if they were left alone for more then ten minutes she'd be a grandmother. It also didn't help that the last time She; Tom and Jane went off somewhere they got separated. She and Tom ended up stuck on a roof The Zon all night with a eight-foot radscorpion down below waiting outside the entrance. They finally managed to escape after she built some improvised explosives from materials they scavenged from the club, which included the old pyrotechnic systems, some shotgun shells she presumed belonged to the owner and vodka a whole lot of vodka. When they returned home, disheveled, tired and smelling of vodka everyone assumed they'd slept together. Her father threaten Tom with a shotgun ironically taken from the ruins of The Zon a decade earlier and threatened to kill the boy if he didn't marry her.

After much struggle the hood finally gave way and popped open sending Daria rolling off the truck landing with a thud.

"You alright?" Jane asked helping Daria to her feet.

"Nothing hurt aside from my pride" she replied dusting herself off. "And my ass."

"Better then your head" Jane laughed.

"Unless your my sister." Daria smirked while going to work dismantling the engine. "She doesn't have anything up there to harm."

"So why are we out here again?" Jane questioned. While her friend tossed an obscure part of the engine away.

"Because if I can pull the fusion cells from this thing we can power our lights, the water purifier and a few of my experiments."

"Wasn't there a truck closer to home you could scavenge from?"

"I've checked countless vehicles and only a handful had engines I could even begin to take apart if I can pull the cells from this my generator can be finished."

"And no more blackouts from your experiments?" Jane recalled walking the halls of the old school in the middle of the night when the power went out. Nothing like stumbling over yourself in the dark.

"None" Daria answered. After more then an hour of swearing, loud banging Daria finally gained access to the fuel cell container. She then slipped off the truck and starting putting on a yellow radiation suit. It was awkward to move around in so she didn't want to be wearing while trying to take the engine apart.

"Try not to blow us up" Jane was only half joking. These decaying engines from 2077 have a habit of exploding if you put enough bullets in them.

"Relax Jane so long as no one shoots the cells we'll be fine." She pulled the first glowing cell out and put it into a lead lined case. "These nuclear engines only explode from weapons fire never from simple impacts."

"And yet your wearing a radiation suit"

"I didn't say this job was completely safe did I?" Jane couldn't see it but knew Daria was smirking.

Jane scanned the horizon and in the distance saw one of the more common creatures of the wasteland a giant molerat. "Say Daria you want to come over for dinner tonight?"

"Sure what are you having?" he muffled voice replied from inside the engine block.

"Molerat" and with one well-placed shot the two-foot rodent fell dead. "Be back in a second, I'm going to fetch dinner." As Jane approached the fallen mole rat she heard a faint sound like music and the lyrics. _I don't want to set the world on fire; _I just want to start a flame in your was music she realized. She looked down the ruins of Interstate I-295 and through the dust clouds blowing in the wind she could see two approaching figures. The first was a tall man wearing a stetson hat and a duster coat over some form of body armor. She could clearly see he was heavily armed. Slung over his back was a rather large an intimidating looking weapon easily a meter and a half long. In his arms at the ready Jane could identify a plasma rifle by the faint luminescence green on the barrel. She could make out a bandolier with grenades or possibly just additional ammo. He also appeared to have other weapons at his side and inside the coat. The second figure was clearly a cybernetic dog, which trotted along side it master. Jane and only heard of such creatures from Daria who read about them in some pre-war books on science in law enforcement.

Jane looked worriedly down at her hunting rifle held together mostly by duct tape. And her raggedy leather armor made from Brahmin hide.(two-headed mutant cows). If he decided to get nasty there wasn't much she could do about it. Her weapon was little more then a Varmint Rifle perfect for small critters or an unarmored human but it bounce of this guy. Daria's shotgun might be more effective assuming she brought the slug rounds and he was standing five feet away. Jane nervously lowered her weapon deciding she didn't want to get killed by a paranoid trigger-happy mercenary.

"No need to wet yourself kid, I'm not going to hurt you." The man's face came into view as the dust cloud blew away he looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties with red hair. The shadow of his Stetson hat obscured his eyes. He leaned the plasma rifle onto his shoulder. He was now standing right before Jane and he looked just as intimidating now as he did partially obscured.

"Happy to hear that, it be quite a mess." Jane joked holding up her patchwork rifle for better viewing. "What's is that on your back?" she asked gesturing the sizable weapon on his back.

"It's called a Gauss rifle." The man answered to which Jane simply stared at him blankly "Like a rail gun but a magnetic coil instead of two rails."

"Oh now I understand." Jane lied, she'd ask Daria about it later.

"So what brings two kids this far out into the wastes a your two or three hours from the nearest settlement Lawndale, in that direction." the man asked pointing past the wrecked trailer of the truck Daria was working at

"What brings a walking Arsenal down this road." Jane countered. It bothered her that this man knew the location and distance of her home. Maybe her and Daria weren't worth robbing but he could be trouble back home.

"Arsenal?" the man smiled. "I like that, Arsenal, to answer your question I'm mapping the roads from DC to Baltimore scouting out the best possible routes for trade caravans." He gestured to the wrist computer on his right arm that Jane recognized as a pipboy and the source of the faint sound of music.

"Jane who is this?" Daria questioned. Jane nearly leapt out of her skin eliciting a laugh from both this stranger and Daria. "Some lookout you are, what if he was a distraction while his friend snuck up behind us." She joked.

A loud bark caused both Daria and Jane to leap into the air. They turned around to see the cyberdog panting.

"You can call me Jack." He extended his hand

"Daria, and you've already met Jane." She answered accepting the handshake.

"If you excuse me I have a long walk ahead of me, and my route needs to be suitable for heavily loaded pack animals" and with that the man tipped his hat and left.

"Come on Jane, I finished extracting the cells and putting them into the case, we might be able to take the short route but that thing is heavy" The duo returned to the truck after Jane cut some choice pieces of meat from the fallen molerat.

They each grabbed a handle and started the long walk home. It was heavy though; they managed to drag case out there all right but loaded down with the cells it was twice as heavy. Now they both wished Tom was there.

They were almost home the sun was high so it must have been around noon.

When a gunshot rang through the air. They dropped the case and dove for cover the sound of two more gunshots filled the air along side sadistic laughter. They looked up to see nearly a dozen armed men in patchwork armor made from scraps of metal and leather. They had assault rifles, shotguns and even a flamethrower. Daria and Jane knew immediately it could only be raiders.

"What do we do?" Jane whispered fearfully

"Drop the case and make a break for it, if we're lucky they'll be more interested in the case then in us we don't have anything worth stealing."

Jane bit her tongue to stop herself that they were both women, which were always valuable to the nefarious types in the wasteland. Despite the rumors she was sleeping with Tom. Jane knew Daria was innocent in that regard.

"I've got one grenade." Daria breathed, "If they follow, I'll throw it maybe buy us enough time." Jane only nodded before they leapt to there feet and took off running towards home. They looked back hoping against hope the raiders were more interesting in the case than them.

"Shit they're still chasing us." Jane sighed.

Daria pulled the pin on the grenade and chucked it as hard as she could in the direction of the pursuing raiders. As they hoped the raiders scattered for cover. Though the grenade exploded harmlessly it did buy them some time. Unfortunately not enough time they had just reached the top of a hill when a bullet grazed Daria's leg ending her tumbling to the ground. Jane stooped down to carry her but was stopped.

"Jane, they want us alive our best chance is if you go for help if you stay we'll both be captured." Tearfully Jane nodded and embraced Daria fearful this would be the last time they saw one another.

As Jane ran for help Daria managed to get to her feet. Even if she couldn't get away from them she could at least limp and buy Jane a little more time. And the sawed off shotgun would certainly help. If the raiders wanted them dead they'd have fired a lot more bullets. So Daria knew her best chance was to buy Jane as much time as she could.

Daria open fire on the first raider who popped his head over the hill she'd fallen from. The raider quickly ducked down and Daria took that moment to reload the shell. She could hear them arguing just over the hill but the voices all blended together. Finally a mountain of a man came over the hilltop, unlike his fellows who were half covered in scraps of metal this man's armor was composed of metal plates bolted together complete with a helmet on top. Daria knew her sawed off stood little chance of penetrating those metal plates, but she could slow him down a little and buy Jane more time to escape. She unleashed both barrels and the spray of lead bounced off the armor as she expected but the force made him stumble back. The armor offered decent protection against the two-century old jury-rigged weapons most wastelanders possessed. She really wished that Jack fellow was around. Against his military grade hardware that raiders metal armor would be little more then tissue paper even if it was pieced together from the latest in pre-war steel. Daria reloaded her the gun as the man slowly drew closer.

"Surrender girl, you've got no chance." The raider spat while Daria hid behind cover.

"You're going to need to get real close to capture me, and I've loaded two slug rounds just for you." Daria lied but the bluff gave the man pause. A slug around could certainly prove fatal if only she had one.

"Drop it" a sinister voice from behind ordered. Daria sighed the big guy was just a distraction while his friend snuck up behind her. Daria turned around see a smirking raider holding an automatic to her head. Jane kept on running, she'd never run so fast in her life. If she made it back quickly there was time enough to save Daria before the raiders got away and sold her off some slime-ball or worse. She had just reached the sign that said welcome to Lawndale when she tripped and all went black.

To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

Fallout Lawndale Part II

Daria sat tied to a parking post next to a dumpster in the raiders makeshift camp in back of the Goodtime Chinese Restaurant. At least they fixed her leg she mused looking at the bandages. Daria tried to keep her focus on her pain rather then her fear of what might happen to her. She'd been there for hours, it was already dark and there was no sign of Jane or anyone from home. Maybe they couldn't find her; maybe they'd never find her or worse what if Jane didn't make it. From where she was tied up she could hear a conversation between a few of her captors.

"So, are we going to ransom her back, sell her into slavery or have some fun with her?" One of the raiders asked the big guy in metal. Daria presumed he must be the boss.

"Or some combination of the three" suggested another. Of the team he smelt the worst so Daria named him stinky.

"I vote have fun with her, ransom her, go back on the deal then sell her" suggested a third. This one was missing an eye so in her mind Daria called him Cyclops.

"She's worth more as slave if she's unspoiled." The boss answered.

"How do we know she's unspoiled and if we check would that spoil her" that raider was swiftly smacked upside the head. Daria dubbed him smartass. She might have found him funny if they weren't discussing her.

"How much do you think she's worth?" Stinky questioned

"Hmm" the boss mused, "she's young healthy, but fairly plain a five, so two hundred caps to a distributor, four-fifty directly to a consumer tops"

"Nah" argued Smartass. "She hides it deliberately we fix her up pretty I'd call her seven and a half easy."

"A thousand caps direct to the buyer." smiled Cyclops. "You going to make her pretty using those pre-war fashion magazines you read."

The whole gang save Smartass erupted in laughter. Despite the dire situation she was in Daria couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of a raider beautician.

"Hey!" Smartass yelled. "How many of you assholes can actually read." silence followed. "What none of you? I thought so the next time you want my help fixing your guns you can just kiss my ass." In another life Daria thought Smartass could have been a friend. But in this one she'd rather just shoot him in the head.

"Ok were sorry, tell ya what if we don't decided to sell her unspoiled you can have first go" The boss offered.

"Thanks" Smartass replied.

Now Daria really, really wanted to shoot him in the head. As much as Daria hated to admit it to herself she was terrified but she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her squirm like some damsel in distress.

—

Jane groaned as she slowly returned to consciousness her head was throbbing and she could here people arguing around her.

"Jane what happened, where's Daria" said a panic stricken Jake.

"Is she alright" mirrored an equally worried Helen. Jane groaned and tried to sit up but she couldn't move and her vision was blurry.

"Jane you need to tell us what happened" came another voice Jane recognized as Tom's.

"Would you smoothskins all calm DOWN!" came the eternally aggravated voice she recognized as belonging to DeMartino. "She may have a concussion, SCREAMING at her won't help her and it certainly won't HELP your daughter."

Jane's vision slowly came back into focus; she was lying on a table, looking around what she recognized it as the cafeteria of Lawndale High. In the years following the Great War a group of survivors made the old ruins there home. This was mainly due to the old principle had spent most of the educational budget on security. Which included metal shutters to block the windows. New walls to completely in close the courtyard and several security robots. According to DeMartino she was a soulless, self-righteous, iron-fisted tyrant who had no respect for the students, even the few worthy of it and routinely abused everyone in her employ.

"Daria!" Jane cried sitting up. "She's in trouble, raiders they took her." She recounted the story through half-chocked sobs and her guilt at leaving Daria behind.

"Its alright Jane if you stayed you'd both be captured and we'd have no idea what happened." Helen soothed through her own tears.

"We need to after her we have to find before those raiders…." Jakes panic quickly devolved into him hyperventilating.

"How did I get here?" Jane asked.

"A man my father hired to plot caravan routes found you at the outskirts and brought you in." Tom answered.

"We met someone out by I-295 by that name."

"Yo" Jack called solemnly he was sitting in a chair with his feet up on a second seat, his faithful cyberdog curled up by his side. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to save your friend."

"One man against a dozen?" DeMartino scoffed, "Who do you think you are the Lone Wanderer? You could have held off a dozen armed men yourself."

"Enough" Jake yelled. "Daria is out there somewhere having god knows what done to her!"

—

"So tell me again how Eric got knocked out by a 98 pound girl who's tied to a post?" the boss laughed. Daria may have had a real name to go with the man curled up in a fetal position but to Daria he'd always be Nutcracked. Thank god for steel toed boots.

—

"Alright so we divide into teams and scout the area along the western edge of town, its after dark so they probably went to look for shelter." DeMartino explained as the group looked over a hastily drawn map of Lawndale.

"Could your dog track down our daughter?" Helen asked turning to Jack.

"Maybe" Jack answered. "He's trained to search for weapons and ordnance. I haven't tried humans."

"Well its worth a try, I'll get something of Daria's" Helen left through the corridors towards of the old high school. She was always worried when Daria and Jane went off alone. It didn't help that just a few months ago she was almost killed by a six-foot radscorpion that wandered in from the open wasteland. Daria was sixteen now and would need to survive the wasteland. She soon arrived at the room Daria and Quinn shared their space, mismatching room dividers gave them some semblance of privacy from one another. Quinn was with her friends the fashion club making new clothing.

"Mom did you find Daria?" Quinn mournfully asked.

"No sweetie, but we're sending out the search parties. That traveler who brought Jane in has a dog so we're going to see if he can sniff her out." Helen marched over to Daria's bed and grabbed some of her dirty clothes. Helen decided to spare Quinn the nightmares about her sister being held by raiders.

"I hope your sister is alright." Stacy said.

"Yeah" added Tiffany.

"Thanks Stacy, but it will ok maybe she's stuck on a roof making out with Tom." Quinn tried to perk up but couldn't.

"I hope not" Sandi smirked "Tom's cute it be a shame if your dad came at him with a shotgun again. None of us have had the chance to try dating him yet."

When Helen returned their master of arms Timothy O'Neil was passing out the better weapons they kept in the armor in the event of just such an emergency. Two drum loaded combat shotguns, three R93 Assault Rifles and a Type 93 Assault Rifle.

It wasn't much but it was better then the regular weapons they carried. Jane was having a heated argument with her brother Trent.

"I'm going and that's final." Jane yelled.

"No your not." Trent had no hint of his normally laid-back voice. "You might have a concussion." The argument continued back and forth, with neither side. It finally ended when DeMartino snuck up behind her and cuffed her to a chair. It ended the argument but not Jane's indigent yelling.

She noticed Tom's parents had arrived along with their bodyguard Tommy Sherman clad in reinforced combat armor. The man gave her and most women the creeps but there was no denying his ability so she'd put up with him until Daria was safe.

"Angier, Kay what brings you here?"

"Mr. Ruttheimer, radioed us the news about Daria so he came to lend our support." Angier explained.

"And the use of Mr. Sherman in the search." Added Kay.

"No need to worry I'm the best fighter in Lawndale, I'll get your daughter back no problem." Sherman gloated. "Second best" he corrected when Timothy O'Neil walked by.

"I appreciate any help you can offer thank you." Helen smiled.

"It's the least we could do our Son is quite taken with your daughter." Said Kay.

"And if we don't do something our Son will insist in going out looking for raiders himself." Added Angier.

"I am going!" Tom stated firmly walking up in a suit of combat armor, lighter then what Sherman wore but better then most of the equipment around here. Tom's parents had given it to him simply for his own personal protection.

"Its to dangerous." Angier argued.

"Excuse me." Jack walked up, interrupting an argument before it could begin. "He'll come with me, I'll be responsible for him." He placed a hand on Tom's shoulder to empathize the point.

Kay and Angier looked to one another for a moment then nodded, much to the surprise of Helen and Tom. "Alright, Jack so long as he's with you we don't mind."

"Here." Helen said handing Jack one of Daria's shirts. He then knelt down to let his dog get a good whiff. As Helen left to find Jake and begin there own search she wondered whom this Jack was. If it was Tom held captive by raiders there was no way on gods brown earth she'd let Daria go looking so easily. She son found Jake and along side DeMartino headed out to search.

The search parties scattered in-groups of three or four, with only the full moon and a handful of flashlights to see by. A worry on many of their minds was even if they found the raiders in time what then. Could they fight a dozen armed men without losing one of their own, and if they fought what was to stop then from killing their hostage.

Tom followed closely behind Jack and the cybernetic dog. They seemed to be walking in circles for a while but eventually the dog started barking excitedly.

"Do you have her sent boy?" Jack smiled, "Come on where is she?"

It wasn't long before they found the camp built into the parking lot of the old Chinese Restaurant. A hastily constructed wall using overturned vehicles and other scrap provided some protection. After telling his dog to stay they climbed into the roof of a nearby dry cleaners for a better look.

"Is that them?" Tom questioned Jack who was looking down a set of binoculars. Jack handed Tom the binoculars so he could see them himself. Between the moon and the campfire he could make out the forms of a dozen raiders heavily armed.

"Crap" Tom muttered, "Is that a minigun and a rocket launcher?"

"Yep" Jack answered solemnly. Tom had a brief flash of how destructive an assault would be. He imagined a hail of bullets and explosions tearing people apart. Beating the raiders wasn't' the problem. Doing it without losing a dozen or more people in return was another matter. He scanned the camp looking for any signs of Daria, he saw her dimly lit by the campfire. She was still tied to a yellow parking post right next to an old dumpster.

"I have an idea." Tom smirked.

—

As grim as it was hearing the raiders discussing sometimes in graphic detail what they should do with her. It paled in comparison to when they started singing drinking songs. The raiders drunken songs abruptly stopped when the distant sound of an explosion filled the air. The raiders leapt into action heading to the ramshackle walls looking for the trouble. From the corner of her eye Daria saw the dumpster lurch forward.

"Tom" she whispered as the boy in question crawled out of the hole previously hidden by the dumpster. Another explosion this time closer to the walls kept the raiders attention while Tom cut the ropes. When Daria followed Tom through the hole it became evident why the raiders just didn't use the building for shelter half the roof had collapsed creating something of a ramp. Limping on her good leg Tom helped her to the top of the ruined building The air was now filled by the sound of gunshots and plasma fire along side the screaming battle cries of the raiders. The raider Daria nicknamed Smartass poked his head through the opening in the wall they used to escape. He was about to yell something when Daria grabbed the 10mm submachine gun Tom had clipped to his belt and opened fire driving the raider back

"What now?" Daria asked, a little disappointed she'd missed.

"We run." picking Daria up he leapt off the back of the building landing with a heavy thud. Tom figured Jack's distraction would only buy them a few more seconds before he was forced to retreat. Wasting no time he took off running east with Daria in his arms. She wasn't sure how long he could keep up this pace, but with level streets and plenty of buildings for cover and with the raiders distracted she was hopeful they could make it. Tom made it a couple blocks before they rounded a corner taking cover behind an old barbershop somewhere off Dega Street.

"Tom what happened back there." Daria questioned as he sat down with Daria in his lap.

"Jack that guy you and Jane met on the road provided a distraction while I snuck you out."

Daria felt a little flustered at Toms daring rescue. Even with the distraction he easily could have been killed. She felt an odd feeling in her gut and decided to follow it before her brain squashed it. She leaned up and kissed him briefly.

"Damn" Tom grinned stupidly.

"I liked it too." Daria grinned back.

"I wonder if Jack's ok?" As if in response to Tom question the raiders were now screaming in terror.

"He sounds fine." They kissed a second time this time for longer. It as at this moment her parents showed up. They had heard the sounds of battle and came to investigate.

"Daria your alright!" Helen exclaimed.

"Kiddo!" Jake smiled. Then realized what they had been doing. "Get your hands off my daughter."

"Jake put the shotgun away they were just kissing!" Helen scolded. Jake snorted putting his weapon away. Helen and Jake knelt down and helped them to their feet. Daria put an arm around Tom's shoulder for support.

"No need Tom I can help her." Jake shot him a menacing glare. He didn't like the idea of that boy so close to his little girl. He was still convinced they had slept together the night they claimed to have been trapped on the roof of the Zon by a Giant Radscorpion despite seeing the corpse. Jake might have believed the protests of innocent If not for the fact that Helen and Jake used a very similar excuse in their youth.

"I could use a little help" coughed Jack as he limped up. His coat had quite a few holes in it and his armor was covered in dents. His dog simply panted wagging its tail, a little bloody from chewing on some raiders but uninjured.

"Dear god, are you alright?" Helen exclaimed.

"I was shot to hell and set on fire but otherwise I'm ok." Jake quickly moved to catch him before he collapsed to his knees. "The armor stopped the bullets from penetrating but it still hurts."

"You know, my plan was for you to distract them" Tom smiled.

"I took your plan and went in a different direction"

Slowly they limped back to the Lawndale High. Where much to Daria's discomfort they were greeted with hugs and tears. She could live with Jane's. Tom was actually kind of nice. She'd tolerated her parents for years. But beyond that it was just embarrassing being hugged by everyone. Jack was also uncomfortable reciving bear hugs from various residents but Daria figured that may have more to do with the multiple bruises and possible cracked ribs


	3. Chapter 3

Fallout Lawndale Part III

Sleep didn't come easily to Daria that night, everything she was trying to hold back while the raiders held her captive was coming to the surface. Half of her wanted to break down and cry over what happened or what nearly happened. She could have been raped, killed, hung from a meat hook or suffered any number of the god-awful things raiders have a reputation for.

The other half said suck it up you wimp, you got grazed by a bullet, tied to a post for six hours and you kicked a raider in the balls. You've had family outings that were more irritating.

The following morning she headed straight for breakfast after changing into a fresh pair of clothes. For the settlement of Lawndale High mealtime was a communal time. Before the war the school housed somewhere around a thousand students so the kitchen had plenty of room for the families to prepare meals, when the equipment was working which was about nine months out of the year.

From the smell it was some mixture of punga fruit, molerat and ant fricassee. So long as it wasn't radroach Daria was happy or at least less irritated. She spotted Jane and made a beeline towards her.

"How's the head." She asked sitting down across from her.

"Better, still a little sore." Jane replied scratching at the bandages wrapped around her head. "Saw Doc, Barch this morning." Both teens grimaced at the news. No man liked seeing her, she was rough, cold, had no bedside manner and was perpetually angry. And it wasn't much of an improvement for the girls either.

"I thought she wasn't due back for another couple days." Her stomach grumbled and she considered poking her head in the kitchen but quickly squashed the idea. Every time she tried that her parents or someone else's parents' would draft her into helping.

"She got back early last night after most everyone went to bed" Jane explained her own stomach starting to grumble.

"Did she see our hero yet?"

"Yeah and Barch really doesn't like him" Jane snickered.

"He's a man of course she doesn't like him." Daria noticed they seemed to be the center of attention among their peers. She had a sinking feeling they wanted to hear about what happened, share time just what I need she thought.

"Well its more then that, he said a few sarcastic things to her." Jane laughed at the memory. "Such as, you're a sadist not doctor, I'm not supposed to leave with more bruises then I came in with. Its like the icy fingers of death if death were a Yao-Guai."

Daria couldn't help but laugh; aside from DeMartino no man dared talked back to that woman, anyone who did quickly regretted it.

"Daria, Quinn come get your breakfast" Helen's voice called, just as Daria was getting up Trent's voice followed with a similar message for Jane.

When they arrived they found there meal was quite different then what was cooking for most everyone else. Brahmin sausages with a side scrambled mirelurk eggs and punga fruit.

"What's the occasion?" Daria asked her mother, she was naturally suspicious when her parents did something special. It usually meant relatives were visiting.

"Well, after what you both went through your father, and I thought it help you feel better, Trent agreed so we went a little extra on today's meal."

"Here you go Janey" Trent said as he handed a similar plate to a grinning Jane.

"Cool spill over perks." Quinn grinned taking her own meal.

"Now after breakfast I want you to go up to the workshop and give Jack a hand." Helen said hand on her hip. "And no arguments." Helen couldn't remember a time her girls didn't gripe when additional chores were added to their regular list.

"You too Jane." Trent added. Daria and Jane offered no arguments as they went to sit down with their meals. After all he did save both their lives yesterday they were lazy not ungrateful bitches. They did not get to enjoy their meal long however as they were soon accosted with questions about what happened the previous day by Kevin, Upchuck and the three J's. They wanted descriptions of the fighting, which of course neither girl could give, yet it didn't deter them from asking. They ignored them as best they could until Upchuck reaffirmed his nickname by saying.

"Did you go down on Tom as thanks for sneaking out of the camp?"

Daria and Jane turned quite pale but before they could muster a proper response.

"Kevin, kick his ass!" Tiffany's bubbly but commanding voice yelled. Upchuck took that cue to runway followed close behind by Kevin and the Three J's who wanted to watch. An irate looking Tiffany and Jodie strode up to their table.

"Thanks." Daria mumbled, as Upchucks cries of pain signaled Kevin had already caught up with him.

"Are you alright?" Jodie asked placing a hand on Daria's shoulder.

"I'm fine, Upchuck being disgusting is nothing new." So far as Daria was concerned getting beaten by someone twice his size was sufficient punishment for Upchuck.

"No, I mean after what happened." Jodie corrected. Daria idly wondered how long until people let her try and put the whole incident behind her.

"I'm fine Jodie, really" she sighed. "A bullet grazed in my leg, I was tied to a pole for eight hours, and I got to kick one of them in the balls." She deliberately left out the part where she overhead them discussing what they might or would like to do with her. Not only so Jodie would or to keep from being coddled with sympathy but because what might have happened still weighted heavily on her mind.

"So Is Tom like your boyfriend now?" Tiffany asked changing the subject. Daria might have been thankful if it had been any other subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Well?" Tiffany paused while she twirled her hair. "Didn't your parents like catch you making out just after your escape."

Daria slinked down in her seat, turning red as a tomato. Jane's face looked like the Cheshire Cat's her grin was so big. "You made out with Tom! Do you want to borrow my lipstick?"

"Oh god!" Daria groaned lowering her wishing she could just hide.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of." Jodie soothed. "Tom's a nice guy"

"And he's quite" Tiffany added.

Daria wished she could crawl into a vault and die to escape this.

"Hey Jodie, I have some mirelurk cakes if your interested!" Mack's voice called.

"See you Daria." Jodie quickly left to join Mack for breakfast. Scylla serrata horrendus or Mirelurks as they were commonly known had the best meat In the wastes but they were also among the most dangerous creatures to hunt due to there crushing pincers and armored carapace. Tiffany then left to find Kevin leaving Daria and Jane to eat their meal in peace. If only Jane would drop the subject.

"So is Tom a good kisser." Jane teased.

"Oh God" Daria groaned, Jane put an arm around her and squealed.

"Oh my little Daria is growing up and discovering boys, so when's the wedding?" Jane's grin only grew as Daria's face retreated into her hands.

"He's a great kisser can we please drop it!" she pleaded.

"Alright" Jane said with a sigh she could continue teasing her later. Instead they talked about the movie showing last Saturday. Well it wasn't so much a movie that week as DeMartino stressing out for two hours trying to get the projector to work.

After finishing breakfast they headed strait for the workshop. They could hear the sounds of his work echoing through the halls from the moment they left the cafeteria.

The schools old shop classroom now functioned as the community workshop for whatever equipment maintenance was required. They found Jack hammering and clamping the dents out. Daria could see the vest was hard body armor made from ballistic steel, which is why those rifle shots didn't penetrate. His duster coat currently hanging on a hook beside him was lined with some soft ballistic material Kevlar or Twaron, his pants appeared to be made from the same material.

Well Daria mulled over the how Jack balanced mobility and protection, Jane's mind was elsewhere.

Underneath the armored vest and the duster coat Jack wore sleeveless muscle shirt showing his well-toned muscles and numerous scars from god only knows how many battles. Jane could swear she saw what looked like deathclaw. He was sweaty and his muscles flexed from his work.

"Jane!" A sharp elbow to the gut snapped her back to reality. "You were ogling him like a horny… Quinn." Daria couldn't believe it Jane was acting just like a member of Quinn's little gang drooling over guys. At least he wasn't that greaser Butch who passed through a few weeks ago.

"Daria, there isn't anything wrong with enjoying the view." Jane argued, Daria had no response she didn't like it but clearly arguing was futile so she dropped it. As they entered the room Jack turned to greet them.

"Good morning if you girls are done chatting about fashion, boys or whatever you can help me by clearing and taking those weapons apart." Jack gestured to a pile of various guns Daria recognized as having belonged to the raiders.

"Then put them back together?" Daria questioned. On one hand she was offended by Jacks presumption and she wanted to correct him that she wasn't like that. On the other hand it was less embarrassing then the truth.

"No, a lot of those weapons are in piss poor condition. I'm going to take the best parts for reassembly and junk the rest." He explained before turning back to his work. They started with the more numerous R91 assault rifles, before moving on to the 10mm pistols and a few shotguns.

"What happened to the minigun and missile launcher?" Jane questioned noticing their abstinence.

"They kinda melted." Jack answered. "Plasma tends to do that." It was a couple hours before Jane and Daria managed to disassemble and clean all the parts. By that time Jack had already finished repairing his armor and was currently eating his own breakfast prepared on a nearby hotplate.

"What's in the omelet?" Jane questioned.

"Some, Yao-Guai, some mirelurk, mutfruit and the egg its self is from a deathclaw."

"Breakfast of badassery?" Daria commented on his eating the three most dangerous creatures on the east coast. She recalled O'Neil's lesions about how to deal with the creatures. Yao-Gaui were just big really tough animals, Mirelurks were slow and armored but would expose their vulnerable face just before they struck. As for deathclaws O'Neil advised there was no such thing as overkill.

"Breakfast of badassery?" Jack laughed. "I'll have to remember that one, I'll reassemble…"

"Daria!" the shrill voice of Ms. Barch echoed down the hall. "Damn I hoped she'd forgotten about me" The young Morgendorffer figured the doctor wanted to check on her wound. When she and Jane turned back towards Jack he was gone.

"Where'd he go?" Jane questioned.

"Daria what do you think your doing walking around!" Her voice made the duo recoil. She marched right over to Daria and grabbed her arm. "Come with me young lady so I can get a look at that leg, I can't imagine those raider butchers had an ounce of medical expertise."

"Really its fine, just a graze." Daria struggled in vein against her iron grip but it was no use.

"See you later Daria." Jane waved, once Barch and Daria disappeared down the hallway Jane turned around to see Jack fall down from the ceiling landing on his feet.

"I've spent twenty minutes with that woman and it was more then enough."

"Most people would say ten." Jane snickered.

"Ms. Barch can't live with her can't killer her." Jack smirked.

Daria was roughly manhandled into Barch's office and onto the bed. Where she proceeded to remove the bandages on her leg. "Stupid war-mongering men, your lucky you weren't flayed alive or brutally violated."

"Thanks, I really needed a reminder of what almost happened to me." And really she didn't want to be reminded of what almost happened if she wanted to sleep again. "And it was also men who rescued me." Daria figured mentioning that would tick the old doc off and it did.

"Bah, just more war-mongering sex machines." When Barch stopped to but a hand on her hip Daria knew she was in for a rant. But Barch was always gentler after getting her anger out bitching. "Jack didn't have to provide the distraction alone he could have waited to contact the others. He certainly didn't need to stay and kill them all, he could have kept them off guard while you and Tom escaped. Instead he nearly got himself killed. And from his scars I can tell his stupid heroics are a regular thing for him."

"So what he saves people isn't that a good thing." Daria shot back. She didn't see the problem with taking down a whole gang of raiders alone.

"He's a glory seeking warmongering male. He could have worked with Timothy and DeMartino and others to take out those raiders after Tom got you to safety. But no he has to do it all himself, one day he'll get himself killed and leave his family in darkness and in doubt." By this point Barch was winding down. But Daria wanted to be sure she got all her aggression out before the examination continued.

"And what about Tom?"

"Hmph" she grunted. "Sure it was REAL heroic of him to sneak in and get you out but he'll just use it to lay you on your back and spread your legs. " Daria rolled her eyes for Ms Barch almost any act by a man was an effort to get in her pants. "Just make sure he takes some cassil root you don't need to be squeezing out his little…."

"Can we please chance the subject." Daria squealed. The last thing she wanted to talk about with Ms Barch was childbirth. It was in fact the last thing she wanted to discuss with anyone.


	4. Chapter 4

Fallout Lawndale Part IV

When Daria finally escaped from Ms Barch's examination she caught sight of Jane working on one of her art projects in the courtyard. It was some chimera of broken robot parts. Jack's dog was chasing and in return being chased by a pack of younger children.

On her way she passed Jack and O'Neill discussing the finer points of headshots vs. kneecapping over a bottle of whisky.

"I prefer the head, its quick, clean and no loud screaming." Jack explained.

"No, the kneecaps are better." O'Neill argued. "If you kill them they won't learn anything. A permanent crippling injury can serve as a lesion."

"Kneecapping isn't necessarily permanent." Jack replied.

"It is with the kinda guns we like to use." It was always disturbing to Daria how O'Neill would explain exactly how a weapon could mutilate or kill a human being with the same calm soft voice one would use when teaching a little kid how to tie is shoes.

"Good point." Jack took a swig of whisky before passing the bottle to O'Neill.

Daria continued on, she never got the appeal of adults and drinking. "You survived." Jane quipped as she bolted the robobrain arms to the torso of a Protectron, which already had Sentry Bot legs.

"Better then getting shot again."

"Or Upchuck's poetry."

Daria winced at that memory of talent night a couple years back. She'd have fled the auditorium if her parents hadn't insisted she stay and be polite. That and Quinn had managed to handcuff her to the chair in retaliation for turning her hair lime green.

"Jane could you help me retrieve that case we dropped yesterday?" In all the excitement or more accurately terror Jane had completely forgotten about Daria's project.

"I think we'll need an extra-hand, your still limping and that case was heavy." Truth be told Jane didn't want to go out there. She'd prefer to stay home the next couple day. "Tom will probably be by later we can ask him." Daria agreed so long as Jane didn't disappear again. She liked Tom well enough but getting married to him with her dad's shotgun at his back didn't sound like a healthy step in their relationship.

It wasn't until that afternoon that Tom arrived at the Lawndale High Settlement. He found Jack haggling with unusually nervous Ken Edwards and his son Nathan over the price of an Type 93 assault rifle presumably one of the weapons salvaged from the raiders. His cyberdog was chasing his tail. The Edwards family traded in just about everything. But mostly Edwards plied his mechanical skills to keep food on the table. Quite a few scavengers came and went to the ruins of Baltimore and they all needed gear in good condition.

"Come now I've restored this to near pristine condition you have to be able to offer me more then that."

"One hundred and fifty caps, no more." Edwards argued, eliciting a groan from Jack.

"I can find better offers Mr. Edwards." Jack threatened.

"Then perhaps you should." Nathan answered adjusting the collar on shirt. Since the Edwards family moved to Lawndale a decade back they were famous for two things a huge collection of pre-war clothing, and air of superiority. It was strangely absent in Ken today.

"Hey Nathan still spending all your money on pre-war relics?" Tom rarely missed an opportunity to tease him.

"Well, I've always dug the beauty and elegance of pre-war American design. People had a sense of timeless style and civilized decorum back then."

"The same civilized decorum that led to communist witch hunts, the new plague and who can forget the atomic fire that consumed the planet." Jack quipped.

"I'm not saying it was all steak and onions. But they did know how to dress."

"Can't argue with that." Jack smiled. Tom waited until Jack and Mr. Edwards finalized the deal. Eventually the rifle was traded for a small handful of caps and a package containing a fancy pre-war dress.

"Jack can I talk to you for a minute I need to ask a favor?" Something had been on Tom's mind sense last night. And he hoped Jack would be willing to help him out.

"What's on your mind?"

"Can you teach me how to fight?"

"No" Jack answered plainly. Over the years he'd been asked this question a lot and the answer was always the same. Unfortunately none of them took no for an answer. Tom was no exception.

"Why not?"

"Why should I?" Jack answered. His dog stopped chasing his tail just long enough to bark in agreement.

"I can pay you." Tom just hoped it wouldn't be too expensive. His father had he'd pay for combat lessons so long as the price was reasonable. But Jack simply grunted and started to walk away. "Alright then if its not money then why won't you?"

Jack sighed and turned to face Tom again. "A lot of kids come to me asking that. I won't waste my time teaching kids to get themselves killed by trying to imitate me."

"I'm not planning to run off into the wastes to be a big damn hero." Tom argued. "I just want to be strong."

"Why do you need to be strong?"

"When Daria and I were escaping one of the raiders tried to follow us, when he stuck his head through the hole we used to escape I froze." Tom looked up to see that Jack was still listening. "It couldn't have been more then a few seconds but it felt like an eternity, until Daria grabbed my gun and opened fire driving him back."

"Tom." Jack sighed putting a hand on the young man's shoulder. "You crept into a camp of heavily armed raiders to rescue her. I think your manhood is safe."

"This isn't about looking like a man." Tom angrily brushed the hand aside and looked away. "What if I hesitate the next time and something happens to her."

"Come with me." Jack gestured Tom to follow which he did.

"What's your dogs name?" Tom asked as the cyberhound trotted beside them.

"Dogmeat"

"There's hardly any meat on him." Tom quipped, scratching the pooch behind the ears.

"We'll he was one hundred percent biodegradable when we met, he had an accident back in 2282 involving some mercs." They soon arrived in the parking lot of the old pizza place. After rummaging in a dumpster for a minute Jack pulled out a few old cans of tomato sauce and set them up as targets.

"Alright Tom first things first, your submachine gun is an decent weapon, but widely inaccurate do you have a pistol?"

"Yeah." Tom nodded pulling out a fresh and clean looking 10mm pistol.

"Not bad" Jack carefully examined the weapon. "This isn't prewar is it?"

"My eighth time great grandfather Bruce Sloane made extensive preparations in the event of nuclear war so he built the Sloane bunker which included fabrication machinery for making simple weapons like this." Tom explained the family history with practiced ease. Growing up the family history had been one of the most important lessons.

"All right Tom stand back against that wall and lets see how you handle the gun" Jack watched as Tom aimed and fired six shots hitting two of the targets.

"Believe it or not 33% accuracy isn't bad quite the opposite, if you fired those six shots at a single raider you'd have put at least two in his chest. Your stance was right you didn't jerk the trigger all you need is more practice."

"Practice can get expensive." Tom said noting that ammunition wasn't cheap. "And that doesn't solve my other problem."

"Well when I was ten years old my dad gave me a BB gun for my birthday. He even set up a practice range. I spent thousands of hours playing with that thing. Before ever touching a real gun." Jack looked quite melancholy remembering a life he left behind more then a decade ago.

"But what about…"

"Tom your fifteen, I can't teach you to take a life the wasteland makes enough killers in this world I've no desire to help it along and I don't have the spare time to teach you how to fight."

Tom was disheartened for a moment but realized Jack was right. He didn't want to kill anyone. He wanted to be able protect the people he cared for.

"What I can teach you in the short time I'll be around" Jack smirked putting arm on Tom's shoulder. "I can teach you a few secrets about women."

It was nearly 3:00PM and Daria was getting irritated she figured Tom would be here by now. She had wanted to retrieve her case hours ago and needed the extra muscle. It was at this moment Tom came into view looking sweaty, exhausted and dragging her case behind him.

"Tom." Daria called rushing over as quickly as her injured leg allowed.

"I heard you lost this" Tom smiled.

"Thanks" Daria muttered. "Why'd you bring this here by yourself, I didn't even ask"

"You shouldn't have to." Tom blushed. For a moment they stared into one another's eyes and then.

"You can do it Tom! Kiss her." Kevin cheered. Daria wasn't sure what would have happened if Kevin hadn't killed the moment but she'd find away to make him suffer for it later.

"Think you can help me install these parts?"

"If by help you mean hand you tools I barely know the names of and lift." Tom answered.

"That's kinda what a I meant." Daria smirked. "And lift heavy loads, how'd you drag this all the way back by your self?" Daria was a little surprised Tom could manage it so well.

"To be honest Jack helped most of the way, but said I'd look more heroic if I brought it to by myself." After getting a little help from Jane they carried the case down into the school's basement where Daria was working on her projects. Jane bid them bid them adieu and promised not to let Jake now they were alone together. Tom was in awe of the machine work he wasn't sure what this did but it was impressive.

"It's a generator." Daria explained. "Using these hydrogen cells from the engines I've scavenges and other parts I can power the lights, the water recyclers, maybe even the recharging stations for the schools old robot security force."

"Jake I have to ask WHAT do you have against Tom." DeMartino asked as he looked over the collection of electronic parts and equipment Jake had to sell.

"He's just like any other teenage boy, with only one thing on his mind and I won't let him take advantage of my little girl. He needs to stay away from her."

"If you don't want him seeing her. THEN WHY, after the roof incident did you try and force their marriage with a shotgun."

"To protect her honor!" Jake shouted.

"Jake, I've been here for over two hundred AGONIZING years, and no one has ever CARED if a girl had pre-marital sex. Its ALMOST as if you want them to get married so your daughter can have a cushy life at the Sloane Bunker."

"Hmm, you know I never though about it like that before... maybe if I, nah I'll just stick to the threats."

Daria worked half buried in her machine for the next few hours chatting with Tom about old pre-war literature and other things. On occasion she'd ask for a spesfic tool from Tom who would do his best to pick the right one.

"So Tom what's Jack really doing up here? And don't give me that plotting caravan routes line. I don't buy it."

"Daria I can honestly say he came up here to plot a path for caravans" Tom answered. "It just wasn't the only reason."

Daria slid out from under her machine face covered in engine grease. Tom thought she looked adorable but her glare kept him from voicing it. "What is the other reason?"

"I don't know, I just overheard him and my father discussing a few things." Tom gulped. "He was coming up here anyways and agreed to map the roads for the caravans and sell them to my family."

Daria sat up and wiped some of the grease off with a rag. "Can you remember anything more?"

"He said he needed parts to fix a radio transmitter, a big one, he also wanted any maps of the current layout of Baltimore."

"Baltimore?" Daria questioned, "That place is crawling with feral ghouls and radspiders." Standing up she went the control console on her machine and flipped a few switches the monstrosity hummed to life. "I guess it's his business still I'm curious."

"I have a novel idea, we could just ask him?"

"Nah" Daria sighed, "If he can tell us it can't be that interesting."

"So how to you plan on spying on him?" Tom asked, Daria smiled and gave him a brief kiss. He knew her so well.

"If he's planning on fixing a big radio transmitter the only one in the area I know of is the old Z-93 station."

When Jack left around dinner with a large pack filled with equipment heading in the direction of the old radio station, Jane, Daria and Tom hunkered down in Daria's basement workshop. In preparation Daria had gotten an old radio working and set it to Z-93. Jane toyed with a second radio adjusting the dial constantly incase Jack changed the frequency on the broadcast station.

"He might not even finish tonight?" Jane mused.

"Your parents ok with you staying the night?" Daria asked, knowing the Sloane bunker was a good hour away on foot.

"I told them I was staying the night with the Ruttheimers."

"How much did you have to bribe Upchuck to go along with it?" Jane knew that the boy used any opportunity to gouge people for money.

"Nothing I bribed his dad, much cheaper and far less likely to blow up In my face."

It wasn't until nearly midnight when the static on the radio Daria setup came to a stop. It wasn't that surprising there wasn't a functioning radio station

"_Papa Bear to old folks home, come in old folks home." Jacks voice came over the radio._

"_Old Folks home here," a young male voice replied. "How goes the mission?"_

"_Slight delay on account of raiders but Site A will function as intended you can begin sending blades when ready approach from the north."_

"That speaking in code is really annoying" Daria muttered.

"Makes it impossible to know what he's talking about Site A? Blades? Why north?" Jane questioned.

"_Roger that blades should arrive by midday tomorrow, I'll tell Mama Bear to expect you for brunch tomorrow." _The signal went dead.

"Your going to follow him tomorrow aren't you?" Tom asked. Daria smiled Tom knew her so well.


	5. Chapter 5

Fallout Lawndale Part V.

Tom wasn't sure if following Jack was a good idea, in fact he was certain it was a bad idea. He didn't think Jack would actually hurt them but… the phrase don't poke the Bear came to mind. But in all probability he'd spot them within five minutes and they'd have to slink home.

The trio finished there breakfasts, did a few morning chores in the field and waited for Jack to head out. Daria's leg though still a little stiff offered her the perk of being excused from most of her work for the day. Tom had a lot of free time being a Sloane. Jane had four siblings and three nieces and two nephews her family wouldn't even notice she was gone.

Jane was kind of excited life in Lawndale was usually dull not a whole lot happened and when it did it was usually tragic such as the death of Mr. Barch six years ago. Jane was certain whatever Jack was up to it was cool.

Daria watched as Jack left the grounds of Lawndale High headed northeast towards the radio station. She had to know what he was up too she'd seen how terrified Mr. Edwards was of him but when she questioned Ken about it earlier he was just evasive. Could Jack really be a threat masquerading as a friend, could he and whomever he was talking to have come looking for some kind of pre-war treasure, was there some monstrous threat in the ruins of Baltimore they'd come to combat. Whatever it was Daria had to know.

Following Jack was hard, despite the homefield advantage they had, it was important to keep their distance less they be spotted. As they climbed through the ruins Daria was just about to suggest they take a short cut when Jack changed directions he wasn't heading towards the radio station any longer, but Jane had a theory.

"I think he's going to the old Lawndale PD building" she said as they ducked behind a dumpster to avoid Jack's gaze when he looked back.

"What makes you say that?" Daria questioned peering around the dumpster and signaling it was safe to advance.

"We'll its in that direction, its close to the radio-station he used for communications and its easily fortifiable." Jane's logic was sound, and Daria knew of a shorter route. Well it wasn't a shorter route they'd just be able to run with out attracting Jack's attention. But if Jane were wrong they'd lose him. Then again she didn't want Jack to accidently shoot one of them either.

"Alright lets try the police station." Daria agreed climbing over some rubble of some old office building, Jane and Tom followed. They'd arrived in sight of the old police station within half an hour. Looking around they could see the remains of a few feral ghouls, the security gate was open and the lights were on. Clearly someone had been here recently.

"Looks like the right place, we could probably hide in that diner." Tom said pointing to the old restaurant across from the station. The trio crept along the ruins and into one of the window booths. The glass had long sense shattered and blown away in the wind. They didn't wait long until Jack came into view. Peering out with jus the top of their heads visible they watched as Jack paced back in forth.

"What's he waiting for?" Jane sighed.

"Whomever he was talking to yesterday." Daria answered. The trio slumped down in the booth and waited. They passed around a canteen of water and wished they'd brought some food having left just before lunch. Soon they heard the faint sound of a highspeed whooshing thump-thump. Peering out of the diner they saw something unlike anything they'd ever seen before. Coming in for a landing was a tilting, twin rotary aircraft it hovered off the ground for a moment before touching down. Daria didn't recognize the craft from any of here pre-war books but she could recognize a few of the weapons, missile racks and a Gatling laser gun. It was soon joined by another craft of the same design.

"Those would be the blades I'm guessing." Tom was a little in awe of the sight; he'd heard stories of flying machines but never imagined he'd see one. Disembarking from the two crafts were half a dozen people glad in some large heavy-duty armor. They looked like walking tanks encased in all that metal. The men started unloading boxes from the craft and bringing them into the station. Jack appeared to be directing them and issuing orders. It was clear to all of them these guys were setting up base camp. They watched as Jack boarded one of the craft and flew away.

Slumping down in the booth they let out a collective sigh. "So what did we learned?" Daria muttered.

"That Jack's set up some kind of military base in the old police station" Jane noted.

"And his friends have very advanced toys." Tom added.

"We should probably get out of here Jack's friends might not be as friendly as he is." Jane and Tom nodded in agreement and they crept away from the diner. They took there time going back to Lawndale. They had more questions then answers now and none of them really felt like asking the guys in power armor with plasma rifles.

When they got back home a couple hours later the community was abuzz with excitement. Some caravan driver was hawking his wares and people seemed fairly excited.

"Step right up and try Aqua Pura the cleanest, purist, finest tasting water you ever did taste." Daria recognized the voice of Eric Schrecter immediately. Years ago Helen used work for him in his caravan but quit after it became clear she'd never become a partner. Daria always remembered him for his snake-oil products that promised everything but gave nothing. When she was twelve he tricked her into spending all her money on a alien powercell which she only later realized was just a stupid glowstick. Now here he was suckering the people of Lawndale again. Daria was happy for the opportunity to put him in his place. By the looks of it he had four or five very large barrels of his new product. That much-purified water would cost a fortune.

Walking up to his podium Eric greeted her warmly. "Aww if it isn't little Daria my how you've grown, come up and try the finest water in a thousand miles"

"Finest water huh what makes it so good?" Daria had it all planned out she'd expose him. "If all that water is as good as you say I'll wear that dress for a week." Daria pointed to a pink pre-war dress among Eric's various goods. It was of a fitting style for a pre-war housewife.

"Why this comes directly from Project Purity a miracle of post-war engineering it pours thousands upon thousands of pure water into the tidal basin a minute its turning the wastelands of DC into a grand Oasis!" Eric out stretched his arms to the heavens and shouted the final words. So far Daria was helping his sales pitch.

"You don't expect US to believe that fairytale DRUNKEN traders from down south have been bringing in do YOU?" The raspy voice of DeMartino yelled.

"Project Purity is real I assure you my flesh rotten friend" Eric smiled rubbing his hands together. "As real as The Lone Wanderer of Vault 101."

"Another myth!" shouted DeMartino stopping his foot and shacking his fist at Eric. The old ghoul wasn't born yesterday in fact he was born in 2032. He was wise to Eric's tricks.

"The Lone Wanderer isn't a myth he's real." Jake cried.

"Please you BELIVED in the Easter Fairy until you were sixteen" Ms Barch snickered.

Daria remembered all the stories Jake told her when she was little. When the land was covered by a wicked shadow the Lone Wanderer would come to save them.

"Well step but here and try a free sample." Eric handed her a small bottle.

"What about the stuff in the barrels, you could have a few bottles of good stuff then sell us barrels of crap. How do we know it's all up to the same quality." Daria was sure she had him now. She loved exposing charlatans. Eric just smiled and her heart sank. He walked over and pried open one of the barrels and held out a cup.

"Have a drink if you still doubt me" Eric smirked. Hesitantly Daria walked over she looked down at the barrel of water it looked clear and clean just like the bottled sample. Taking the cup she dipped it inside and brought it to her lips. She chugged the cup the moment it touched her lips and immediately scooped up some more. It was the best water she'd ever had. She had to restrain herself from dunking her head in the barrel.

"Now about our bet." Eric smiled like the devil himself.

"Sorry" Daria shrugged. "I can't afford that dress." All right so the water really was good and his listed price of five caps a pint was a bargain. But there was no way Eric would just give away that dress.

"So you can't afford it." His smile made her heart sink. Turning to the crowd all of whom were pooling money to buy the barrels of water for the town supply he spoke loudly. "Who here would pay to see Daria in this fine piece of pre-war homemaker fashion?"

Ten minutes later Daria sat dejected next to Tom in the frilly pink dress. "Traitor" she muttered looking over at Jane who was playing with her niece Spring. A lot of people offered to chip in a few caps to pay for the dress. Her parents, the three J's Kevin, O'Neal, her sister and the fashion twist if only to take it after the week was over. Most shockingly was Jane who like many others just wanted a good laugh.

"So do you enjoy seeing me in this?" she turned to Tom who went quite for a good minute. "Well?" he barley avoided her boot when she tried to stomp on his foot for ignoring her.

"I always enjoy seeing you, but I'd rather you were comfortable in what you were wearing." Tom breathed a sigh of relief a having dodged that loaded question.

Daria was annoyed she was hopping to bait him. Had he said yes she could have accused him of enjoying her humiliation, if he said no she could have taken that as an insult. But he had to be all-suave and defuse her whole plan to tease him. "So your saying you'd prefer to see me without the dress?" This time she was sure she had him.

"Of course." The moment the words left his mouth Tom knew he'd said something stupid.

"Pervert, typical guy wanting to get me naked." She smiled internally as Tom squirmed. Jane was enjoying the show from her position to.

"No, I didn't mean it like that." He pleaded.

"So you don't want to see me naked." Daria bit her lip to keep from snickering, but Tom picked up on her teasing anyway and decided to turn it against her. "I've already seen you naked" Tom smirked.

"WHAT!" Daria was furious to say the least, and wondered when Tom managed to spy on her. She quickly squashed the tiny part of her mind that wanted to know if he liked what he saw.

"Remember we were five and decided to play doctor" Tom didn't actually remember this it was simply a story he was told.

"Oh yeah." Daria blushed at the memory her father flew into a rage when he found them. He had banded Tom from visiting her for over a year. Who knows what she's have done that year if The Lanes hadn't moved to town.

"Alright enough teasing." Daria sighed, "Lets go to your place, if I have to wear this I'd prefer as few people as possible see me in it." Taking Tom's arm they walked off towards the Sloane estate.


End file.
